Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration

Featured Events: MLK Jr. Silent March and Brunch – Monday, January 15, 2024 

These two featured events kick off OHIO's weeklong celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Silent March 

The MLK Jr. 2024 Silent March will convene on Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at Good Shepherd Church, located at 64 University Terrace, Athens, Ohio. The annual march, led by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., is an opportunity to reflect on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s mission and impact. 

Please note that this is a different location than in years past. 

MLK Jr. Celebratory Brunch 

Following the Silent March, the annual MLK Jr. Celebratory Brunch will take place in Baker Center Ballroom at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 15, 2024. This year's brunch will feature vocal and dance performances and a keynote address by OHIO alumna Tiffany Bowden, M.A., Ph.D.

Food and refreshments will be provided. Tickets are required to attend. See below for details. 

Speakers and Guests

Dr. Tiffany Bowden, M.A., Ph.D.  — Brunch Keynote Speaker

Ohio University two-time alumna Dr. Tiffany Bowden, M.A., Ph.D., is an anti-racism educator and diversity and communication specialist. Dr. Bowden holds a bachelor's and a master's degree from the E.W. Scripps College of Communication specializing in cultural studies and advertising management. As a Ted X speaker on diversity and inclusion and performer, she has been awarded a Top 5 People’s Choice Award. Dr. Bowden has been working within diversity for 20 years, with academic publications at the intersection of gender, identity, ethnicity. She has been featured in Ebony, Time, Vice, TED, Washington Post, Black Enterprise, Reuter’s, Bloomberg, High Times, CNN, and more.

Dr. Tiffany Bowden will serve as the annual MLK Jr. Celebration Brunch keynote speaker on Monday, January 15, 2024.  

 Dr. Clayborne Carson

Clayborne Carson has devoted most his professional life to the study of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the movements King inspired. He was selected in 1985 by the late Mrs. Coretta Scott King to edit and publish the papers of her late husband. Under his direction, the King Papers Project has produced seven volumes of King's speeches, sermons, correspondence, publications, and unpublished writings. Dr. Carson has also edited numerous other books based on King's papers. In 2005, the King Papers Project became part of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute at Stanford University, with Carson serving as the institute's founding director.

Join us for “A Fireside Chat with Dr. Clayborne Carson” where Dr. Carson will be the live streamed speaker on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. 

Event details can be found here. 

Register for the chat here.

Jonathan Eig 

Jonathan Eig is a successful writer and bestselling author of six books. His most recent, King: A Life, was hailed by the New York Times as the definitive biography of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Eig studied journalism at Northwestern University, and went on to work as a reporter for The New Orleans Times-Picayune, The Dallas Morning News, Chicago Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal. 

Join us for a conversation with Eig on "Awakening from the Dream: Martin Luther King Jr., Then and Now" on January 18, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. in the Baker Theatre. 

Event details can be found here.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee Members

The Division of Diversity and Inclusion would like to thank the MLK Jr. Celebration committee members for their contributions — including their time and energy — that ensure the event's success.

2023-2024 Committee Members

Committee Chair

• Vanessa Morgan Nai – Assistant Director, Office of Diversity and Inclusion
  morganv1@ohio.edu

Committee Members

• Dr. Russell Morrow – Interim Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion
• Darnell McMullen – Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (representing members of the fraternity)
• Mason Stephens – Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (representing members of the fraternity)
• Dr. Pam Kaylor – Professor of Instruction, Communication Studies and Women's Gender, & Sexuality Studies Department (Lancaster Campus)
• Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan, Jr. – Executive Director, Ohio Council of Churches
• Nancy Edwards-Grady - Assistant Director, Career and Employer Engagement
• Tia Jameson – Assistant Athletics Director of Student-Athlete Development and Inclusion, Division of Athletics
• Elizabeth Pahl – Assistant Director, Center for Entrepreneurship 
• Courtney Lefebvre Little – Assistant Director, Center for Community Engagement
• Pat Bungard – Administrative Specialist, Division of Diversity and Inclusion
• Courtney Burton – Administrative Services Associate, Multicultural Center 
• Nikki Ohms – Director of Conference Services 
• Acie Clayborne – Assistant Director, Multicultural Programs 
• Dr. Letitia Price – Assistant Director, Women's Center 
• Jennifer Nyarko-Mensah – Graduate Assistant, Division of Diversity and Inclusion 
• Nikoi Catherine – Graduate Assistant, Division of Diversity and Inclusion 
• Jordan Schmitt – Content Marketing Specialist, University Communications and Marketing 

Past Committee Members

2022–2023

Co-Chairs

• Travis Gatling – Professor, School of Dance, College of Fine Arts
  gatling@ohio.edu
• Vanessa Morgan Nai – Assistant Director, Office of Diversity and Inclusion
  morganv1@ohio.edu

Committee Members

• Dr. Salome Nnoromele – Interim Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion
• Jesean Williams – Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (representing members of the fraternity)
• Dr. Pam Kaylor – Professor of Instruction, Communication Studies and Women's Gender, & Sexuality Studies Department (Lancaster Campus)
• Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan, Jr. – Executive Director, Ohio Council of Churches
• Micah McCarey – Director, Pride Center
• Nancy Edwards-Grady - Assistant Director, Career and Employer Engagement
• Tia Jameson – Assistant Athletics Director of Student-Athlete Development and Inclusion, Division of Athletics
• Elizabeth Pahl – Associate Director, University Event Services
• Courtney Lefebvre Little – Assistant Director, Center for Community Engagement
• Dr. Duane Bruce – Executive Director of the Division of Diversity and Inclusion
• Pat Bungard – Administrative Specialist, Division of Diversity and Inclusion
• Shayne Lopez – Athens County Foundation
• Lacey Rogers – DEI Coordinator, City of Athens

2021–2022

Co-Chairs

• Travis Gatling – Director, School of Dance, College of Fine Arts
  gatling@ohio.edu
• Vanessa Morgan Nai – Coordinator for Multicultural Advising and African American Student Success, Office for Multicultural Success and Retention
  morganv1@ohio.edu

Committee Members

• Dr. Gigi Secuban (Ex-Officio) – Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion
• Jesean Williams – Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (representing members of the fraternity)
• Dr. Pam Kaylor – Professor of Instruction, Communication Studies and Women's Gender, & Sexuality Studies Department (Lancaster Campus)
• Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan, Jr. – Executive Director, Ohio Council of Churches
• Micah McCarey – Director, Pride Center
• Tia Jameson – Director of Women's Basketball Operations, Division of Athletics
• Elizabeth Pahl – Associate Director, University Event Services
• Courtney Lefebvre Little – Assistant Director, Center for Community Engagement
• Dr. Duane Bruce – Interim Assistant Director, Multicultural Center
• Pat Bungard – Administrative Services Associate, Office for Multicultural Student Access and Retention/Division of Diversity and Inclusion

2020–2021

Co-Chairs

• Travis Gatling – Director, School of Dance, College of Fine Arts
  gatling@ohio.edu
• Vanessa Morgan Nai – Coordinator for Multicultural Advising and African American Student Success, Office for Multicultural Student Access and Retention
  morganv1@ohio.edu

Committee Members

• Dr. Gigi Secuban (Ex-Officio) – Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion
• Jaylen Braxton – President, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (representing members of the fraternity)
• Damon Scott – EBN Representative, College of Communication '89
• Dr. Pam Kaylor – Professor of Instruction, Communication Studies and Women's Gender, & Sexuality Studies Department (Lancaster Campus)
• Katie Beth Miksa – University Interfaith Association
• Dr. Paula Miller-Buckner – Assistant Professor, Sociology & Anthropology, College of Arts & Sciences
• Dr. Ebony Green – Assistant Dean for Advising & Student Services, University College
• Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan, Jr. – Executive Director, Ohio Council of Churches
• Micah McCarey – Director, Pride Center
• Sheldon Andrus – Art Director, University Communications and Marketing
• Dr. Jason White – Associate Clinical Professor, School of Applied Health Sciences and Wellness, College of Health Sciences
• Tia Jameson – Director of Women's Basketball Operations, Division of Athletics
• Dr. Jason Rawls – Instructor of Teacher Education, Patton College of Education (Zanesville Campus)
• Pat Bungard – Administrative Services Associate, Office for Multicultural Student Access and Retention/Division of Diversity and Inclusion

2019–2020

Co-Chairs

• Tyrone Carr, Special Assistant to the Vice President for University Advancement/ Executive Director of The Interlink Alliance
  carrt@ohio.edu
• Tamika Williams, Assistant Director for Diversity and Inclusion, Career Network williat8@ohio.edu

Committee Members

• Student Representatives – Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
• Caryn Bailey – Assistant Director of Development, Diversity & Inclusion, University Wide Initiatives Division of University Advancement 
• Dr. Winsome Chunnu – Director, Multicultural Center
• Dr. Theda Gibbs – Assistant Professor, Teacher Education
• Amanda Graham – Executive Assistant, Diversity and Inclusion
• Barbara Harrison – Assistant Director, Off-Campus Living
• Christopher Kennedy – Digital Designer, University Communications and Marketing
• George Mauzy – Multimedia Content Specialist, University Communications and Marketing
• Rev. Evan Young – Campus Minister, United Campus Ministry
• Lacey Rogers – Assistant Director, United Campus Ministry